Invisalign is a set of clear plastic aligners that move your teeth into place without metal brackets or wires. Most people won’t notice you’re wearing them. This is why a lot of our adult patients choose Invisalign over braces. If you’ve been thinking about straightening your teeth but didn’t want the look of braces, this is worth a closer look. Book a consultation, and we’ll tell you if you’re a good candidate.
When you wear an aligner, it applies steady pressure to specific teeth and shifts them slightly. You switch to the next aligner every one to two weeks. We map out the whole set in advance from a digital scan of your mouth.
| Invisalign | Metal Braces | |
|---|---|---|
| Comfort | Smooth plastic with no brackets to rub the cheeks. You’ll feel some pressure for 1 or 2 days when you switch trays. | Brackets and wires can irritate the inside of the lips and cheeks, especially in the first weeks. |
| Appearance | Clear and hard to spot at conversational distance. | Metal sits on the front of the teeth. Tooth-coloured options exist but still show. |
| Maintenance | Removable, so you brush and floss as usual. Aligners need rinsing and occasional cleaning. | Fixed in place. Cleaning around the wires takes more time and care. |
| Treatment Flexibility | You can take them out for a meal or a meeting, but they only work if you wear them 20 to 22 hours a day. | Always on, so there’s nothing to forget, but no option to remove them for an occasion. |
Invisalign handles most of the same problems traditional braces do. Here are the issues we see most often.
Crowding happens when there isn’t enough room in the jaw for all the teeth. Beyond appearance, crowded teeth are harder to clean, which raises the risk of decay and gum problems.
Gaps between teeth can come from missing teeth, a mismatch between tooth and jaw size, or habits in childhood. Invisalign brings the teeth together evenly across the arch.
An overbite is when the top and bottom teeth don’t meet when you close your mouth; an underbite is the reverse, and a crossbite is when some upper teeth land inside the lower ones. Invisalign corrects many bite cases, though more severe ones sometimes need extra steps.
Here’s how the process works, step by step.
We start with a digital scan of your teeth using a handheld scanner. It takes a few minutes to replace the old putty impressions. We use that scan to build a 3D model of your mouth and map out how the teeth will move. You’ll see a preview of the expected result before treatment begins.
When your first aligners arrive, we fit them and check that they sit correctly. You wear them around 20 to 22 hours a day and take them out only to eat and clean your teeth. Each set stays in for about one to two weeks before moving to the next. It’s normal to feel some tightness for a day or two after a change.
We see you every six to eight weeks to check that the teeth are tracking with the plan. These visits are short. If something isn’t moving as expected, we adjust the plan or order revised aligners.
Teeth can drift back toward their old positions after treatment, so once yours are in place, you’ll wear a retainer to hold them there. Most patients wear it full-time at first and then switch to nights only. We’ll go over the wear schedule with you when you reach that stage.
The cost of Invisalign depends on how much your teeth need to move and how long treatment runs. In North York, Invisalign generally falls between and. We’ll give you an exact figure after we’ve examined your teeth and built your plan. We offer monthly payment options to spread the cost out, and we can help you check what your dental insurance covers. The consultation is free, and you’ll get a written treatment plan with the price before you commit to anything.
Invisalign at our North York clinic is provided by Dr. Amir Mahbod Zare Bavani, who holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree and is registered with the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO). He is also a member of the Ontario Dental Association and the Canadian Dental Association. Clear aligner therapy is one of his areas of clinical focus.
A consultation is the easiest way to find out if Invisalign suits your teeth. We’ll look at your bite and talk through what you want to change. If Invisalign is a good fit, we’ll say so. If it isn’t, we’ll explain the alternatives.
Some plans cover it, and some don't. A plan that includes orthodontic coverage usually treats Invisalign the same as braces and pays a percentage up to a lifetime maximum.
No. OHIP doesn't cover orthodontic treatment like Invisalign for adults. There are limited public programs for children with medically related cases, but standard treatment to straighten teeth isn't part of OHIP.
It depends on the case. Minor corrections can take as little as six months. Most cases run between twelve and eighteen months, and complex cases can go longer.
Around 20 to 22 hours a day, which is basically all the time except when you're eating or cleaning your teeth. Wearing them less than that slows the treatment down and can push the teeth off the planned track. Being consistent matters more than anything else with Invisalign.
Often, yes, though it depends on the specifics. Modern Invisalign with attachments can handle cases that used to require braces. However, some severe bite or crowding problems are still better treated another way.
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